A new study by Halifax revealed house prices in the UK have increased by a whopping 8.2 percent since last year – meaning they’re at the highest they’ve ever been.

With the average price of a property in June 2021 reaching £258,204, potential buyers want to make sure they have all their bases covered when they do a viewing for a property that has caught their eye.

Like many things in life, there are things you should know about a product before you invest or spend money on it. This applies for features of houses, comparing prices of cars and even checking 9out the best bonuses – such as getting plenty of Free spins when thinking about joining an online casino.

So here’s a quick guide of 8 things potential homeowners should ask during a viewing of a property they are interested in.

1. Has the property been on the market long?

If you ask the agent this question and they reply that the property has been on the market for 4 months or longer, it may be worth asking for the agent’s opinion as to why this is. Other potential buyers may have noticed problems or things that could potentially be a headache down the line, so you need to get clued up on these as soon as possible.

The long period on the market could also be down to the property you’re looking at being valued over what it’s worth – another thing to be on the lookout for.

2. When does the seller wish to move out?

This is a vital question to ask the agent when you’re viewing the property! If it turns out the sellers are caught up in a chain, this could cause a knock on effect to your ability to move into the property, meaning a delay of weeks or even months.

3. In what direction is the property facing?

You may have found the perfect property with the best garden decking area that look perfect for a summer’s eve… Until you find out it doesn’t catch the sun! Ask the agent if they know which direction the property is facing, so you know whether or not you’re going to be able to make the most of the sun during the summer months.

4. Is it a listed property?

Whilst listed properties can be some of the most breath taking out there in terms of aesthetics and design, they can also cause headaches if you want to make alterations and changes. Coming across a listed building that needs a bit of doing up and attention cmay be worth avoiding to make sure you don’t have to worry about getting permission from the council to make changes.

5. How’re the neighbours

Having noisy and inconsiderate neighbours can ruin the best of properties, so it’s best to straight up ask if previous sellers have had any problems or complaints about your potential new neighbours.

6. What’s the area around the property like?

You can get clued into the surrounding area for the property by asking the agent question about the safety of the area, nearby schools and transport. These should be basic considerations when viewing a property, but you can forget if you’re in the heat of the moment and immersed in a viewing!

7. What are the running costs of the property?

You can usually get useful information on the costs of running the property – such as what council tax band it’s in and average billing costs – from the listing. Even so, it’s worth double checking with the agent on the viewing to make sure you can afford the costs and it wouldn’t be eating up a big chunk of your salary.

8. Would the sellers be open to offers?

A few buyers may be thinking of coming in lower than the listing price and hitting the sellers with a low-ball offer straight off the bat – particularly if it’s hinted the sellers want or need a quick sale.

It may be worth finding out if the sellers are only going to accept offers over a certain price, to save you making an offer too low and seeming like you aren’t serious about buying the property, thus being disregarded by the seller.